1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of injection devices for delivering medications, and specifically to a pre-filled single-use device which protects the user or health care provider from accidental needle-stick.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art teaches various safety shield systems adapted for use with a medication pen. Examples of passive shielding systems include those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2011/0288491 and 2011/0257603, which are incorporated by reference. The needle assemblies disclosed in these publications are adapted to attach to a pen body, and include a proximal or non-patient side needle which extends into the medication compartment of the pen. In addition to shielding the patient-side needle, such shield systems may include a manually or passively activated shield for covering the proximal side needle to prevent accidental needle stick when the shield assembly is removed from the pen body.
With the growth of filled pen devices and other formulations approved for self-injection, the demand for single-use injection devices is likely to increase. It is an object of the present invention to apply the teaching of passive shield protection to a disposable, single use injection device having a self-contained construction such that the patient end of the needle is passively shielded before and after use and the non-patient end of the needle is contained within the device to protect the user or health care provider from needle sticks without requiring a passive shield system on the non-patient end.